How do we behave in crowds?

CrowdScience

BBC

Science, Technology

4.8 • 985 Ratings

🗓️ 25 November 2022

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

As someone who dislikes crowds, listener Graham is curious about them. Crowds gather in all sorts of places, from train stations and football matches, to religious events and protest marches. But is there a science behind how they move and behave? To find out, Anand Jagatia speaks to some actual crowd scientists.

He learns about the psychology of social identity, which influences everything from how close we stand to others to how we react in emergencies. He visits the Athens marathon, and hears about the algorithm that predicts how 50,000 runners will move through a city on race day. And he explores research into the science of riots, which explains why some peaceful crowds turn violent.

Presented and produced by Anand Jagatia

Contributors: Dr Anne Templeton, University of Edinburgh Marcel Altenburg, Manchester Metropolitan University Prof John Drury, University of Sussex

Archive: BBC News Image: Crowd from above. Creidt: Getty Images

Transcript

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0:00.0	Take some time for yourself with soothing classical music from the mindful mix, the Science of
0:07.0	Happiness Podcast.
0:08.0	For the last 20 years I've dedicated my career to exploring the science of living a happier more meaningful life and I want
0:14.4	to share that science with you.
0:16.1	And just one thing, deep calm with Michael Mosley.
0:19.4	I want to help you tap in to your hidden relaxation response system and open the door to that
0:25.4	calmer place within. Listen on BBC Sounds. Hello and
0:37.0	this is an Annan Jagatia and this week I'm in Greece for the 2022 Athens Marathon. Just behind
0:46.2	me is the Pan-Athanic stadium made out of marble that stood there for over 2,000
0:50.9	years that's open at one end.
0:53.1	And as the runners race through the streets,
0:55.7	the final few kilometers, they enter the stadium
0:59.3	to cheering fans.
1:01.2	And we're here because Greece is, of course, the home of the marathon. Legend has it that in the 5th century
1:06.4	BC the messenger Fydipides ran from the town of marathon to Athens to announce the victory of the Greeks against the Persians in battle.
1:15.0	And today around 20,000 runners, some of them going past right now,
1:19.0	will be retracing some of Fydipides as steps.
1:22.0	And thousands of people have gathered in the streets and in the stadium to watch as they cross the finish line.
1:28.0	But this isn't actually a show about the science of running, it's a show about the science of crowds,
1:36.2	which is quite fitting given our name.
1:38.8	All will become clear with this week's question which comes from our listener Graham.
1:47.0	Okay, I'm Graham Martin, I'm in United Kingdom, I'm in Worcestershire.
	...

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